Wednesday, January 23, 2008

A Rediscovered Treasure – The Local Library

When I lived in NYC, I found one way of saving on my entertainment costs was to go to the local library. Since the library was only 2 blocks away, it was very convenient to go. Now I need to get into my car to go to the local library, but one benefit is I discovered there’s a smaller less yuppie farmer’s market outside of the main library in San Francisco on Sundays. Here are some reasons I like the library.

1. Most libraries are part of a library system and you can borrow books from one library and return the item to any other library in the system.
2. You can often order items to be put on hold for you at your local library – this means there is a huge collection of books at your fingertips. My library lets me order books online and will email me when they arrive.
3. You can renew items online or over the phone, saving a trip to the library.
4. Most libraries have free internet (this is a very popular feature, so make sure you get to the library early to sign up for a half hour or hour increment – I would not recommend visiting any financial related website on a public computer).
5. At my local library, I can order books that the library does not yet own, ensuring that I will eventually get to read those items. I also have the ability to put my holds on vacation if I’m not going to be around for some time.
6. Libraries have DVDs that you can borrow. If only I could get my husband into this, we could get rid of Netflix!
7. Libraries are a great resource for a lot of things. The main library in SF has some great career sections as well as sections focused on specific demographics.
8. I love reading recent magazines at the library. This is great for me since I can read it and not have to worry about disposing it (I hate throwing magazines away and always think I sohuld bring them to the gym or donate them to a hospital).

I hope my readers also find joy in this public service that their taxes help fund!

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